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to whip

to whip

133 4.4
To hit something with a long thin object or move it quickly and forcefully
  • verb
  • /wɪp/
translation icon : azotar
  • He raised his hand and whipped the ball across the court with incredible speed.
  • whip and beat
  • whip and kick
  • whip and paddle

The captain apparently wants to catch this person, comes out, whips him in the face.

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Examples

Synonyms

to smack
vsto whip
164 3.5

To hit someone or something with an open hand

can be similar but also includes use of instruments and verbal harshness
to spank
vsto whip
119 3.6

To hit a child's bottom with an open hand to punish them

covers that discipline but also applies to harsher or nonphysical punishments
to kick someone's ass
vsto whip
  • Offensive
45 9.0

To beat or punish someone very badly

is narrower in speech type but also covers sudden force or harsh criticism
to stick it to
vsto whip
  • Informal
40 8.6

Punish or hurt someone to get revenge

is more neutral, covering both physical striking and sharp verbal attack
to lash
vsto whip
36 4.8

To hit something forcefully with a whip

is broader, including any sudden forceful strike or harsh criticism
to slash
vsto whip
  • NSFW
19 7.0

To hit someone hard with a whip or rod

is broader, including quick forceful motion and also harsh verbal attack
to flog
vsto whip
  • NSFW
18 8.3

Hit someone with a whip or stick as punishment

is less formal and can include sudden nonpunitive strikes or criticism
to cane
vsto whip
  • NSFW
8 8.6

To beat someone with a long thin stick as punishment

is more general and can involve any sudden or forceful striking action
to pistol-whip
vsto whip
  • NSFW
8 9.6

Hit someone with the handle or barrel of a gun

is not limited to improvised blunt objects and includes normal striking motions
to thrash
vsto whip
  • NSFW
7 6.5

Hit someone hard, often as punishment or in a fight

also covers hitting but adds the idea of sudden force or sharp criticism
to strap
vsto whip
  • Offensive
5 8.2

To beat someone with a strip of leather as punishment

is less specific about the tool and includes harsh verbal attacks too
to paddle
vsto whip
  • Offensive
4 7.4

To hit someone with a flat board as punishment

is broader and also covers sudden forceful actions beyond this implement
to flagellate
vsto whip
  • NSFW
2 9.9

To hit yourself or another person with a whip as punishment, often for religious reasons

is general and applies to punishment or sudden force in many contexts
to scourge
vsto whip
  • NSFW
2 9.5

To whip someone as punishment for religious reasons

is more general and can also mean a sudden forceful motion or criticism
to trounce
vsto whip
  • Offensive
1 8.4

To beat someone with a whip or stick as punishment

includes both physical punishment and sudden nonphysical force like criticism
to horsewhip
vsto whip
  • Offensive
1 8.7

To hit someone with a long leather strap used to guide horses

is not limited to animal equipment and covers many striking motions
to lather
vsto whip
  • NSFW
1 9.3

To beat someone severely with a whip

can be intense too but also covers single sudden forceful motions
to larrup
vsto whip
  • Offensive
9.9

To hit someone as a punishment, for example by spanking

is wider, covering many strike types and sudden forceful motions
to welt
vsto whip
  • Offensive
8.9

To hit someone and make a raised red mark on their skin

is more general and can include nonmarking force or strong verbal blows
to beat the poop out of
vsto whip
  • Offensive
9.6

Hit someone many times so they become badly hurt

can be similar in force but also includes sudden nonphysical harsh motion or words

Antonyms

155 3.5

To care for and encourage someone or something to grow

42 3.7

To give someone too much care and special treatment

Idioms

To use firm authority to make people work harder and follow rules

smart as a whip
  • Informal
5 7.0

Very quick to understand things and find answers

to whip the cat
  • Informal
9.9

To do small fun things to stop worrying

6.8

To make food quickly or to cause strong excitement

Phrasal Verbs

62 3.0

To quickly make food with little effort

10 5.1

Quickly make a person or thing work better by firm action

to whip through
  • Informal
2 4.9

To do something quickly and well

9.9

To quickly fill in forms without checking details, often by writing false information

to whip in
  • Informal
6.7

To add something quickly with little effort

Compounds

1 7.7

A situation where one person or group has more control than others

buggy whip
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A tool that makes horses move when they pull a small carriage and now means something old-fashioned

party whip
  • Literature
1 7.2

A person in a political party who makes sure members attend and vote as leaders want

1 8.2

A quick collection of money from a group for a gift or charity

9.9

A person who performs skilled whip tricks in rodeos or who is very strict about rules

8.6

A short stick riders use to signal and control hunting dogs during a fox hunt

prune whip
  • Archaic
8.1

A sweet dessert of mashed prunes mixed with whipped cream

A small animal like a spider with a long thin tail and no sting

A small fast snake with a long thin body and tail

9.1

A toy that spins when you hit it with a string

An animal like a scorpion with a long thin tail and no sting

A small fast snake with a long thin tail

How Hard

to flog
  • NSFW
18 8.3
to thrash
  • NSFW
7 6.5
to whip
133 4.4
to hit
1.0
to tap
174 1.0

Surface Forms

whip infinitive
whipped past
whipped past participle
whipping present participle
whips third person singular

Etymology

Whip as a verb comes from an old English word meaning 'to move quickly' or 'to strike', so to whip someone or something is to hit or move it with a sudden, strong motion.